It is known to store printed products when wrapped around a carrier ribbon or tape, typically of steel. The carrier ribbon or tape has grippers, to hold the printed products. The carrier ribbon or tape forms a transport device, which can be pulled off a supply roller, supplied with the products to be stored, and then again with the products between layers of the tape and the products, being rolled up to form a storage roll. The process can be reversed for delivery of products, by pulling out the tape with the products thereon, and causing gripper elements to release.
European Patent Application 0 387 726 describes a system of this type, using elastic steel ribbons which have grippers attached thereto. The grippers grip folded products or sheets, in a clock cadence, and then the tape, with the products thereon, is wound up into a roll for storage. If it is not desired to store any printed products, a problem arises in that the storage of the empty tape or roll takes up too much space because the grippers on the ribbon or tape have a substantial volume.
The system of the prior art, as well as that of the present invention, is suitable for storage of any kind of sheet or sheet-like product, whether printed or not, of course. Reference to "printed products", thus, should not be deemed to be limited to products on which information already has been printed; it may relate merely to, for example, supply of sheets or folded sheets or other material on which printing can be effected.